Coracle drama on the River Towy

A coracle fisherman was arrested for obstruction of a Water Bailiff, and a Public Order matter after an incident on the River Towy. He denied the offences, calling another Water Bailiff as a defence witness, and was ultimately acquitted by Carmarthen Magistrates.

The Defendant attended Carmarthen Police Station for interview, following an allegation made to the Police by a Water Bailiff that the Defendant had threatened him in his boat on the River Towy, waved a gaff (or fishing spear) at him and made threats towards him. The Defendant is one of the few licensed coracle fishermen on the River Towy.

The Defendant’s case was that he had been with his son and had gone out on the river in his coracle to bring in his boat for the winter. The boat was tied on its moorings in the river and, as he approached, he saw a rib (or rigid inflatable boat) which was travelling at some speed up the river, potentially  causing danger and/or damage to his coracle. The Defendant reached his boat and managed to climb onto it, but very shortly thereafter the rib returned and the Water Bailiff demanded a search of the Defendant’s boat to look for fishing nets. The Defendant told the Bailiff that he was licensed to fish, but had not been fishing, merely mooring the boat. The Bailiff claimed that the Defendant then threatened him by waving a gaff, and used threatening language towards him.

The case went to trial and was heard by the Carmarthen Magistrates on 2nd April 2009. The Defendant called as a character witness another Water Bailiff who had known him for over 20 years, and he confirmed to the Magistrates that he had never known any trouble from the Defendant. The Magistrates listened to the evidence on both sides and then acquitted the Defendant of both charges.